Leia trudged forward through the dark woods. The dirt trail wound on for several miles and seemed to grow narrower and more overgrown. She could feel her pulse in her ears and was limping despite her best efforts not to favor her injured leg.

You have to keep moving. You just have to keep moving. The only way to get back is to keep moving.

The General had picked up a scouting trail with relative ease, but slowed considerably since then. Fatigue and blood-loss took quite a toll, and even her exceptional mental strength was waning. As much as she wanted to adjust her tourniquets on the go, her head swam just reaching for the fabric and she came to a grudging halt. She attempted to increase the pressure on her wound with limited success, then scanned her surroundings. The area was unrecognizable in the darkness and panic began to creep in, but her mind was too fogged to care. Her mind wrestled with itself.

Maybe you should rest… just for a minute. It's so dark and you would feel better if you rested.

No! Move! You've already stopped for too long!

It can't be much further. What will five minutes do?

She was ready to give into temptation when she saw something move among the bushes ahead, or rather, she felt something move. Leia didn't dare move, though she sensed no hostile intentions. In fact, her exhaustion began to give way to a sort of calmness. The presence she felt intensified, and a small bluish dot of light appeared. Within moments, it had multiplied and she found herself gazing at a cluster of them floating gently above and along the trail. There was no surge of power and energy, but she found her legs leading her towards them slowly. They were stiff and tired, but functioning. The lights danced ahead of her, pulling her gently forward, which she did almost involuntarily. Her mind was quiet, transfixed by the essence or entities, and she lost all sense of time. Nothing else mattered.

And suddenly Leia stopped. She had broken through the treeline and found herself standing at the edge of a large clearing. The sunrise was blinding, and she was barely able to make out the shape of Base One. She heard the whine of engines and was quickly greeted by a trio of land speeders. Evidently, the group of former-Rebels currently working on the old Massassi Temple were still running surveillance. A chorus of "General!" and "Are you alright?" buzzed around her, but she didn't answer.

"Leia!" a shout rose above everyone else; Han. He pushed his way through the small cluster of people, followed closely by Chewbacca. He wrapped Leia firmly in a hug, then backed off, one had still on her shoulder.

The General looked down at her ripped and bloody clothes. Her usual artfully braided hair was a tangled mess and she tasted metal from a split lip.

"I'm… I'm fine," she lied. Then everything went black. Han caught her as she crumpled to the ground.